


Suddenly one is aware of staring into the face of an old friend

by milexandmore



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: M/M, Sherlock plays the matchmaker, friend reunion
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-14
Updated: 2020-08-19
Packaged: 2021-03-03 18:41:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,455
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24720238
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/milexandmore/pseuds/milexandmore
Summary: “My best friend Margaret, she was my chief bridesmaid, we were going to be best friends forever, we always said that, but I hardly saw her after that. [...] She cried the whole day, saying oh it’s the end of an era. [...] She was probably right really… I remember she left early. I mean, who leaves a wedding early? So sad...”He can’t help but comparing his situations to this Margaret, after all, he also left John’s wedding early, couldn’t bear to look at the happy couple when his heart was slowly breaking on the inside. Cliche some might say but he can honestly say that the pain in his heart definitely feels real.He wonders what happened to this Margaret, did she move on, find another friend or did she live a lonely life? Well, he could do some research, might occupy his mind for a bit, could be an interesting case.
Relationships: Mary Morstan/John Watson, Mrs. Hudson & John Watson, Mrs. Hudson (Sherlock Holmes) & Original Female Character(s), Mrs. Hudson (Sherlock Holmes)/Original Female Character(s), Sherlock Holmes & John Watson, Sherlock Holmes & Mrs. Hudson, Sherlock Holmes/John Watson
Comments: 9
Kudos: 8





	1. Chapter 1

A few days after the wedding, Sherlock is in his mind palace trying to pack away the last few days, he hopes that by packing them away he will be able to forget a bit and numb his feelings. A conversation with Mrs Hudson on the morning of the wedding keeps coming back to him. 

“My best friend Margaret, she was my chief bridesmaid, we were going to be best friends forever, we always said that, but I hardly saw her after that. [...] She cried the whole day, saying oh it’s the end of an era. [...] She was probably right really… I remember she left early. I mean, who leaves a wedding early? So sad...”

He can’t help but comparing his situations to this Margaret, after all, he also left John’s wedding early, couldn’t bear to look at the happy couple when his heart was slowly breaking on the inside. Cliche some might say but he can honestly say that the pain in his heart definitely feels real.

He wonders what happened to this Margaret, did she move on, find another friend or did she live a lonely life? Well, he could do some research, might occupy his mind for a bit, could be an interesting case. 

“Mrs Hudson?” he shouts 

No reply. 

“Mrs Hudson?” then he hears them hurried footsteps on the stairs. 

“What is it Sherlock? What happened?”

“What?” he opens his eyes to see Mrs Hudson concerns and realises what might be going on in her mind, she is so worried since the wedding that he will fall back to his old habits, gives in to the sweet calling of the drugs, not that he hadn’t think about it but now he has a case, sort of… “Oh, nothing” he makes a dismissed gesture with his hand. 

“Sherlock I was baking and you just kept shouting my name, if you just call me to grab something for you, you better move your lazy arse to get it yourself young man, I am not your housekeeper nor your assistant.”

“I know, it’s not that. I just wanted to ask you what happened to Margaret?” 

“Who?” Mrs Hudson asks confused. 

“Margaret, your best friend, you said you hardly saw her after your wedding, but surely you might have some news no?” 

“Oh, not really… As I said we fell out of touch after the wedding, we were seeing each other every other week, then every other month, until we didn’t have time to see each other anymore. I think she moved away at some point. We called each other every other month until eventually, we stopped. I hadn’t heard about her in a while, years. I don’t even know if I heard about her more than once since I told her that I was moving back to London after I left Florida.”

“So you don’t know what she became then? Never once thought about it?” 

“I did but… We haven’t talked in years, she might have forgotten about me for all that I know…” 

“Why? You said you were best friends? People don’t forget their best friends, do they?” 

“People do all sort of thing Sherlock, but why are you asking?” 

“I don’t know… I just keep replaying what you said to me and I can’t help but think…” 

“That you and John will end up like us? Oh, Sherlock, I doubt it, I’m sure John will be in contact with you once they get back from their honeymoon and you will go on cases together again. Maybe less often but you will still be best friends solving crimes together.”

“Do you really think so?” 

“Yes, I have no doubt, some things might change but you and John will still be friends, I’m sure.”

“I hope so.” he says quietly. 

“Now if you excuse me, I must go back to my biscuits before they burned.” 

“Sure, sorry to have interrupted… Just one last question, what are Margaret’s surname and place of birth?” 

“Jones and she was born in Edinburgh I think. Why?” 

“Just for my record.” 

“Ok… anyway as I said I better go back downstairs.” and she goes a bit confused at Sherlock’s last question. 

Sherlock gets up, open his laptop and hacked into the government database with Mycroft’s credentials. He sets a 6min 30s timer and gets on with his research about this Margaret Jones. 

He downloads any files that he can find and just 10s before the timer goes off, log out. His phone rings. 

“May I know why are you researching a certain Margaret Jones born in Edinburgh using my credentials, dear brother?” 

“It’s for a case.” Sherlock snapped, apparently, his brother is quicker to identify a security breach than what he expected. 

“Is it now? I think Detective Inspector Lestrade was actually telling me that you refused to take any of his cases?” 

“They were boring, barely 2s or 3s. And this is a private one.” 

“If you say so, just don’t get into any trouble, I am terribly busy and wouldn’t want to have to intervene! And for god’s sake stop using my credentials to get into the government database, you can’t imagine the time I have to waste filing paperwork afterwards to clean your mess!” 

“I would stop using yours if you give me any of your colleagues? Maybe one that you don’t like?” 

“I’m serious Sherlock! You are creating a breach in national security, what if someone hacks into your computer while you are using the government database?” 

“Then I will call my friend Craig who is brilliant at hacking and find your breach in security in a couple of minutes, whatever you want to do with them afterwards is your choice.” 

“This is not a joke Sherlock! Keep your nose out of the government resources!” 

“Only if you keep your big fat nose out of my life!” Sherlock hangs up before his brother can say another word. 

“Now about you Mrs Jones, where are you and what happened to you?” 


	2. Chapter 2

He spends the next couple of days researching every people by the name of Margaret Jones, born in Edinburgh, he found in the government database. Until he finds the only possible match for Mrs Hudson’s best friend. He researches her further until he finally finds a phone number a week later. 

“Mrs Margaret Jones?” 

“Yes?” a cheery voice answers him. 

“Hello my name is Sherlock Holmes, I’m a friend of Martha Hudson, does the name rings any bell?”

“Martha of course, we used to be best friends, how is she? Did anything happened to her?”

“No, no, she is absolutely fine. She lives in Central London now, I don’t know if you knew. Her husband got condemned and executed for his deviances in Florida, and she decided to move back to her old London town.”

“Oh yes, I remember her telling me that she was moving back here a while ago, saying that we could maybe see each other more now…” 

“But you didn’t why?” 

“I don’t know really, we fell out of touch after she married this bastard. He wasn’t treating her well, I could see that she wasn’t truly happy and I couldn’t stand to look at her wasting her life away like this. She didn’t even like Florida, she was always telling me that despite what people were thinking it was more of a nightmare than a dream and that she was missing England. She tried to push me away after I discovered about the drugs and what her husband was getting up to, she said it was to protect me…” 

“Well, you can be reassured that he no longer bothers her and the only crackhead she now has to deal with, is me, on occasions.”

“That’s good to know about him no longer being there, not sure about learning that her new husband is also involved in drugs.” 

“What? I’m not her husband! Mrs Hudson is my landlady, and I’m not really involved in drugs, I’m not a drug addict, I’m only an occasional user, though I’ve been clean for the past year.”

“I’m proud of you. Drugs are a terrible thing, they destroy people.”

“I know…”

“May I ask why you called me?” 

“Oh yes, I just… My best friend got married a little bit more than a week ago now and Mrs Hudson told me about you, about how you used to be best friends, but then barely saw each other after that, I was just wondering what happened to you, I can’t help but think we are in a similar position you and me. She told me you left her wedding early…” 

“Yes couldn’t bear to look at the happy couple together, and all the people congratulating them with a smile on their faces. I knew that it was an end of an era, with him in her life, she barely had time for me anymore…” 

“She told me marriage changes people… Is that true? I guess so if she wasn’t your best friend after that…” 

“She is and will always be my best friend. What changed is that I’m not hers anymore. I guess I always loved her more than she loved me. She is such a fantastic woman!”

“That she is, she is like a second mother to me, she helped me back when we met in Florida, her husband was my boyfriend’s boss at that time, he was the one who got me involved with the drugs. I was studying at the Miami city ballet school when I met Victor. He seemed generally interested in me and we become friends then, boyfriends, sort of, I realised afterwards that he was only using me for my body and to be one of his boss’ tester. Anyway one day he took it too far and I was… in a really bad place both physically and mentally. Martha was there and really helped me. She made me realised how Victor was using me, and after that I dumped him. In exchange, I helped with the arrest of her husband and made sure that the police had enough proof to condemn him. She was finally free and told me that she was planning to go back to London. After a few weeks, when I drop out of ballet school because I couldn’t stand the bullying of Victor and his friends, I decided to come back too. I tried to find my bearings, went to rehab and started to become a consulting detective. After a few months I met Mrs Hudson at Tesco while I was doing some shopping, she told me that with a part of the money she inherited from her husband she bought her property in central London and offered me the flat upstairs from hers. Anyway, I don’t know why I tell you all of that...”

“I’m sorry for what happened to you and I’m glad that you find Martha, she is the best, she always was the most generous person that I’ve ever met. I hope she is doing ok?” 

“She is fine, quite happy, but she seems to have a thing for bad guys as people say. She has a thing with this Mr Chatterjea, I keep telling her to dump him as he is cheating on his wife with her and I suspect other women too, but she won’t listen to me. She kept telling me that at her age that’s the best that she could get, but I know that she deserves so much more than a serial adulterer.” 

“I agree! Mr Holmes, you told me that you thought we were in a similar position you and me but I don’t really get why?”

“As I said, my best friend got married and I also left the wedding early, I tried to stay but even if I’m happy for him, I can’t help being sad that our time is over. I kept thinking about what Mrs Hudson told me about you two the morning of the ceremony, about how you didn’t see each other after that. I guess I wanted to understand why, so I don’t reproduce the same thing with John. Or if it’s inevitable, then I wanted to know what happened to you so I could have an idea of what my future might look like. So tell me are you happy? Did you move on, find another best friend?” 

“Oh Mr Holmes, I wish I could tell you that I lived a happy life, find someone else to build my life with, but to be honest, even if I had a few lovers throughout the years, I never felt what I felt for Martha.” 

“You said lover? Not best friend? So does that mean that you were in love with Martha Hudson?” 

“Yes I guess so, nothing ever happened between us, but when I met Kaitleen which was my first lover after Martha left, I realised that what I felt for her then was more than what you’re supposed to feel for a best friend. I knew I was gay but it was not really accepted at the time, when we met, and even then, as I said I’m not sure that what Martha felt for me was this type of love…”

“You never told her then…” 

“No, I never said anything, I took whatever she was willing to give me and tried my best to make her happy… I don’t know if we really are in the same situation Mr Holmes, but if Martha is healthy and happy with her life, then there is nothing that I would have done differently.”

“So you do not regret not telling her… You do not regret that you fell apart that way?” 

“I do regret not being there to see what she has become, not being there to make her happy, not being there as a friend for her, but as I said if she is happy and healthy than that’s more than I can wish for, even if it has to be without me in her life.” 

“What about if it doesn’t have to be?” 

“What?”

“What if she could be happier with you in her life?”

“Why would she?” 

“Mrs Jones, it is true that Mrs Hudson had a couple of friends, consisting mainly of her bridge club I would say, she has her sister with which she got back in contact after she came back to England, but she doesn’t have a person with which she could share her life…”

“You said she had this Mr Chatterjee…”

“Oh forget him, he’s an idiot! He doesn’t deserve her and it only is a matter of time until she realises it, because contrary to him she is quite an intelligent woman.” 

“What are you saying then?”

“I’m saying that maybe it isn’t too late to get your best friend back, maybe you could be the one with whom she shared her life.” 

“What makes you think she would want me? After all, she never reached out to me?” 

“I thought she contacted you when she came back to London, saying that you could maybe see each other more now? That’s called reaching out to me. I don’t know what happened after that and it’s none of my business, but I think that maybe you could give each other a second chance. What’s the worst that could happen, you already estranged as it is?” 

“Maybe you’re right, she did offer to visit me or for me to visit her after she came back but we never get to organised it…”

“Well, when are you free?”

“I’m retired and live in a small town near Edinburgh, my only occupation is my bridge and sewing clubs, and they both could do without me, so I’m always free.” 

“Great, how long would it take you to pack a suitcase and how do you prefer to travel train, car, plane?”

“What?” 

“Oh Mrs Jones, you are terribly slow. I’m asking when do you want to leave your small town to come to visit Mrs Hudson? Let me know what is your preferred mode of transportation and I’ll arrange your journey for you.”

“Why would you do that?” 

“Because I can sense that if I leave it to you two, we will still haven’t met by next year!” 

“So you want to meet me then?”

“Well as I said, Mrs Hudson is my landlady, I live in the flat upstairs from her so it seems inevitable for us to meet if you were to came to visit her, except if you want me to stay away I can… I mean I’m a bit curious to meet you now, but I can leave you two alone if I need to...”

“Why would you be curious to meet me, I’m just an ordinary woman from an old town in Scotland?”

“Because you are Mrs Hudson best friend, and knowing her, you are probably as ordinary as John is, which is not as much as we suspect at first glance, believe me, even if John seems to be a normal bloke, he is anything but ordinary.”

“Seems to me like I’m not the only one in love with their best friend.” 

“It’s not like that… John is… John is married and he is… not gay.” 

“I see…I’m sorry.”

“It’s ok, I love him but I’m glad to still be allowed to be his friend, let alone his best friend after everything that I’ve done to him.” 

“Oh, what is that?” 

“It’s a long story, but I promise to tell you if you come to London.”

“Are you trying to bribe me into visiting Mr Holmes?”

“I don’t know is it working?” 

“I can see why Martha likes you! I’ll come to London but on my own terms thank you very much. I don’t need a young man to tell me what I need!”

“And I can see why Mrs Hudson likes you too!”

“Goodbye Mr Holmes, see you soon.”

“You can call me Sherlock.” 

“Ok if we are going with the first name basis then you can call me Margaret.” 

“Very pleased to hear from you, Margaret. See you soon in London.”

“See you soon Sherlock.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all, for your comments, I'm glad that you seem to like this fic :)

It’s only a week later that Margaret finally decides to come down to London. 

She arrives a Tuesday morning at the address that Sherlock texted her after they hang up on the phone.

The cabbie helps her take her suitcase out of the boot and she thanks him before facing the door in front of her. She is both excited and dreading what will happen once she’ll knock on that black door. 

The decision is made for her when a man in a three pieces suit holding an umbrella half-opens the door on his way to exit the building.

“Don’t complain to me that you’re bored if you don’t take the cases I offer you, Sherlock, that’s the last time!”

“That’s exactly what you said the last time and here you are, bothering me again with your petty government problems.”

“These are not petty problems, they are lives at stake here!”

“Yes I said boring, just send one of your agents, I don’t know what is so difficult in arresting a cheating husband who also does human trafficking as a side job.”

“So you already solved it?”

“Yes as you did before even coming to me, if I didn’t know you, I would swear that you are doing this out of pity! If that’s an emotion you would even be capable of. As I said I am fine. Yes, I still haven’t seen John since his wedding, no, I don’t need a babysitter and yes, I am clean!”

“If you say so… Please do stay out of trouble, would you? It is terribly tiresome to interrupt meetings to take care of your affairs.”

“I am but it’s becoming annoyingly difficult when you visit me every week with a new case more boring than the last! Go start some war and leave me alone.”

“I will.” and at that moment the man finally opens the door and look at her “Oh I haven’t seen you here. You must be one of his “clients”, I’m afraid he is not in an entirely good mood at the moment…”

“Mycroft bugger off NOW!” 

And so the man jumps into the waiting black car which just conveniently parked in front of the door. 

“Can I help you with anything? If you here for a case it better be not boring! My mind is tearing itself apart!”

“Is that so Sherlock?”

And Sherlock suddenly recognised the voice at the other end of the phone from one week ago, he almost lost hope and thought she had chickened out at the last moment, but no, here she is.

“Margaret?

“Herself, you seem in a terrible state young man, when was the last time you ate anything?”

“I… what day is it?”

“Tuesday?”

“Well I supposed 2 days then, the last thing I ate was Mrs Hudson gingernuts on Sunday.”

“Dear god! Well let’s get some food into you young man, I see there is a nice little café next door how convenient!”

“Let me put your suitcase inside first, it will be more comfortable, the place is not big I’m afraid.”

“Thank you very much.”

He puts the suitcase in the doorway, changes his dressing gown to his coat hanging there and together they head to Speedy’s.

They are lucky to be early enough so that the place is not too busy and they are placed quite quickly at a table for two, by the coffee machine. 

“So you finally decided to come.”

“I said I will didn’t I?”

“Yes but that was one week ago and I haven’t heard from you since.”

“Yes, I had some things to figure out before I could come and I have to say I was also quite nervous. I haven’t seen Martha in years. I don’t know how would she react. Did you tell her about me coming?”

“No, I thought that it was better for it to be a surprise but I’m sure that she will be very glad to see you.”

“I hope so, I just had a 5 hours journey to come all the way down there and my train was late.”

“Sorry to hear that, I’m glad you decided to come though.”

“Me too.”

“We will have 2 full English breakfast and a nice cuppa please.” Margaret says when the waitress comes their way. 

“I’m really not hun…”

“You better eat Sherlock! Look at you, you’re just skin and bones, and not eating for two days is not healthy!”

“I don’t really feel like eating that’s all…”

“What happened Sherlock? I overheard that you haven’t seen your friend since his wedding? So much for not reproducing what Marta and I did! How long has it been now, two weeks?”

“17 days” he looks at his watch “10 hours and 22 minutes now… But still no news…”

“Have you reached out?”

“I tried sending a text 1 week ago but no reply. I know that he is back from his honeymoon but still hasn’t got time for me apparently… he probably is busy at the clinic I guess…?”

“So he is a doctor?”

“Army doctor though now he insists on calling himself a GP.”

“Is that why you trying to get yourself sick?”

“I’m not trying to make myself sick!”

“Why aren’t you eating then?”

“I’m not eating when I’m on a case.” 

“Are you on a case though, because I think I heard you dismissed the man who just offered you one.” 

“Oh no, that was just my brother being his gigantic arrogant arse as ever.” 

“Is it now?” 

“Yes, not a very pleasant man.” 

“Well, I’m sure you are quite different.”

“I’m not, we are both not very good men despite our parents efforts, they are quite lovely people but life turns us into the opposite.” 

“Well, you seem nice to me…”

“We met under special circumstances, you are a friend of Martha and she is my friend, I wouldn’t want to hurt your feelings before you have even been reunited.”

“Why would you hurt my feelings?”

“People tend to be hurt by what I say, what I deduce about them…”

“You deduce about them?”

“Yes as I told you before I’m a consulting detective, the only one in the world, I invented the job. When the police are out of their debt, which is always, they consult me. I observe people, crime scenes, every single detail, and from that, I deduce what happened, draw the big picture if you want.”

“I see… and what might you deduce about me?”

“As I said I wouldn’t want to hurt your feelings before you have met Mrs Hudson.”

“I promise not to let myself be hurt by whatever you say… is that alright?”

“Alright. I can tell that you are from a middle-class Scottish family, I know that you were born in Edinburgh and almost always lived nearby except for the few years where you worked in Florida. You probably met Mrs Hudson in secondary school in Edinburgh, when she moved there because of her father job. You then decided to follow her when she decided to go to work in Florida after she has gotten an interesting offer from one of her father friends. You have an older brother from which you had grown closer after the death of your parents in a car accident. Probably why you are always nervous when travelling by car. I know that you now live in Melrose with one elder dog, I would say probably a West highland white terrier judging by the short hair on your skirt, his name is Poppy if I’m not mistaking. I glanced at your key rings earlier, it has a small medal there with his name on it probably from when he was younger, you probably got him a bigger one now, but kept this one for sentimental reasons. I know you’ve been engaged once but never married, you kept the ring but wear it at a different finger suggesting that the break up was mostly consensual then, or at least no hard feeling on your part.”

“He finally realised he was gay after 1 year spent together, ‘so do I’, I told him and we laugh about it saying that was probably the reason why we were taking things “slow”. We got engaged because of the pressure of his parents to find a wife. He let me kept the ring saying that he doubts his new boyfriend would want it and that it suited me. He is a good guy and we are still friends. But how much of these did Mrs Hudson actually told you?”

“Just the part about Florida and the fact that you were born in Edinburgh, though having met you now I could have deduced it by your accent.”

“Are you really telling me that you deduce all of that by just looking at me?”

“Yes I could go on a bit more but I’m afraid we might get into touchy territory so I’d rather not.”

“It was quite impressive though!”

“That’s not what people usually say!”

“What do they say?”

“Piss off!”

“Well, I guess people don’t like having their secret exposed.”

“We could say that.” 

They continue chatting while finishing their lunch.

“I guess Mrs Hudson should be back from the shops now, are you ready?”

“I don’t know… I don’t know what to say really, how do I start?”

“What about hello or hi?”

“This isn’t funny Sherlock, I’m serious!”

“Me too, I wasn’t trying to be funny, I’m afraid I wouldn’t know how, even if I wanted too.”

“Oh, you are quite a specimen! Alright let’s go, if anything goes wrong I’ll blame you!”

“You wouldn’t be the first…”

Sherlock opens the door and taking her suitcase says:

“I’ll bring that upstairs if that’s alright with you. I was thinking you could stay in John’s bedroom seeing as it’s unoccupied at the moment.” 

“I wouldn’t want to bother you.” 

“You aren’t, and honestly it would probably be that or Mrs Hudson’s couch. Unless you’re moving faster than expected, in that case, I’m sure Mrs Hudson’s bed is quite comfortable…” he says with a mischievous smile

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves! I’m not expecting a big romantic happy ending honestly, I would just be content to have my best friend back really.” 

“Yes sorry…”

“Doesn’t mean that you can’t get yours!” 

“I’m sure the chances are more on your favour on that case, must I remind you that my happy ending just got married to a woman and is expecting a child!”

“You didn’t say anything about a child?!”

“Well as I said it’s complicated… But I’m sure that Mrs Hudson and you will work it out, you seem like a good person and I think that’s what she deserves!”

“Well what she deserves and what she wants is quite different, and I’m not sure I really deserve her…”

“Let’s not swallow ourselves in self-pity before the show has even started. Go ahead and knock on that door. I’ll be upstairs if you need anything. Unless a case comes, in that case, just wait for me I guess…”

“Alright wish me good luck!”

“I’m sure it will be alright.”


	4. Chapter 4

*knock knock* 

Mrs Hudson is singing to herself while putting away her groceries. 

*knock knock* 

“Yes yes coming. Though if you are here for Sherlock’s service you should knock upstairs.” 

“I’m not here for Sherlock’s service.” Margaret says as Martha opens the door. 

“Margaret?”

“Hi Martha! Long time no see!” 

“So nice to see you Maggie!” she hugs her “What are you doing here in London? I thought you still lived in Edinburgh?”

“I am, well in Melrose to be more precise. A bit boring compared to this old London Town, I supposed but really pretty!”

“I have no doubt!”

“You should come visit one day. I have a beautiful garden that I’m sure you would like.”

“I’ll be happy too, it’s not often that I get to leave the city except for a trip to my sister who lives in Cambridge so not too far either.”

“How is she?”

“Very well, still as annoying as ever but we get along better with our old age. What about your brother?”

“He is very well, he has remarried and has two children.”

“Oh really? How nice! And you, have you got any?”

“Children? God no! I couldn’t deal with them I think! I got engaged once but we didn’t even go through with the wedding, turned out he was gay!” she laughs and Martha joins her. 

“What a turnout! Oh, come on how rude of me to let you hang in this corridor. Come inside, I’ll make you a cuppa so you can tell me what you've been up to?”

“Only if you returned the favour, my dear!”

They sit down at Mrs Hudson’s kitchen with a nice cuppa. 

“So you’ve got any children?”

“No, after Frank got… condemned… I didn’t bother to remarry, I’ve got enough money to live on my own and the boys upstairs are enough trouble…”

“So no husband then? Not even a boyfriend?”

“Just an affair with Mr Chatterjea who owns the café next door and a few other small restaurants in London, nothing serious, just a bit of fun! You?”

“No, not even an affair, I occupy myself with my bridge and sewing clubs and doing a bit of gardening.”

“Aren’t you bored?”

“Terribly so!” They laugh again.

“So what are you doing here in London then?”

“Visiting an old friend…”

“Who?”

“You of course! Do you think I have many old friends?”

“Oh! But how did you know where to find me?”

“For that, you will have to thank Sherlock, he is the one who contacted me.”

“Sherlock? I knew that he was up to something when he started asking me about you.”

“What did you tell him then?”

“Well I was telling him about how you left my wedding early and we kinda fell out of touch…”

“But he couldn’t accept it.”

“No, I guess he finds himself comparing our situation to his.”

“So he told me.”

“Really?”

“Yes, he told me about how he left his best friend’s wedding early and couldn’t help but compare his situation to mine when you told him. He is afraid that he and his doctor will fall out of touch too.”

“Well I doubt it, these two are as thick as thieves, I believe that they might have had a thing going on between them even though John keeps denying it.”

“Well, Sherlock told me that John wasn’t gay.”

“Yeah he keeps going on about that, he talks too much I’d say.”

“So you think he is interested?”

“I don’t know, but the way he mourned Sherlock was not the way you mourn a friend, even if the friend was very close to you!”

“Mourned Sherlock?”

“Oh yes, it’s a long story but Sherlock faked a suicide 3 years ago, he let everyone believed that he killed himself, jumping from the roof of St Bart’s hospital. That went on for 2 years, it was terrible! I felt like I lost a son…” she starts tearing a bit.

“I’m sorry Martha… I didn’t know…”

“Well, he certainly wouldn’t boast about it now! I think he learnt his lesson, but John was so miserable after that. He didn’t speak a word for two weeks, started to lose weight and finally decided to move out after a month, he said he couldn’t bear to live with the memories. I didn't see him for nearly two years after that and then he tells me that he moved on and got engaged to a woman, I mean can you believe it?”

“How is she?”

“Mary? She is nice, I supposed though there is something I don’t like about her, she looks like she is trying too hard to be nice.”

“I know the type… And how did he react to Sherlock coming back from the dead?”

“He punched him in the face, didn’t speak to him for nearly a week and when he did, that was because Sherlock has to pull him out of a bonfire.”

“A bonfire? What the hell was he doing in a bonfire?”

“He got kidnapped and Sherlock had to save him.”

“It sounds like they are leading an interesting life!”

“Yes they go on frankly ridiculous adventures together, I’m always scared that one of them might not come home one day… They live such a dangerous life…”

“It must be stressful…”

“It is, they are like my sons, I will be devastated to lose them… At least I know that they got each other’s back and if one goes in trouble the other one will get him out!”

“Is this why he isn’t taking any cases then? Because he doesn’t have his doctor to get his back?”

“Most probably yes. I’m really worried about them, John should have been in contact by now! I mean I get that he was furious that Sherlock left his wedding early without even saying goodbye and then he had to go on his honeymoon but it’s been too long now. Sherlock needs him, I can hear him pacing all day long upstairs and if I didn’t go and force-feed him, he wouldn’t eat a thing!”

“Well if that can reassure you I took care of that today!”

“Really? You managed to make him eat?”

“Yes we went to have breakfast next door before I came to see you, the poor boy is just skin and bones! I told him that they were other ways to get his doctor attention without getting himself sick!”

They continued to catch up and talk about the good old days for almost three hours. 

“I should go unpack, what about we go out to have dinner later? Know any good restaurant?”

“Dinner would be lovely. I’m sure we can find a place we will both like. Where are you staying?”

“Upstairs? Apparently there is a free bedroom, Sherlock was saying, hope this is ok?”

“Did he really offer you John’s bedroom?”

“He did, is that bad?”

“I’m not quite sure, but I can say that he must like you, he wouldn’t have offered John’s bedroom to anyone.”

“I think it’s because he is really fond of you and by extension is forcing himself to appreciate me.”

“Sherlock doesn’t force himself to appreciate anyone, no I’m sure he likes you.”

“Yes I like you both, you are both very strong, not entirely stupid and kind women which are qualities I appreciate in people I would call my friends. Now that we’ve established that, how was the reunion?”

“Sherlock did you just compliment us?” says Martha.

“Didn’t your mother ever told you that it is rude to eavesdrop on conversations?” says Margaret.

“I’m sure she did, but eavesdropping is invaluable in my field of work. Now Mrs Hudson, don’t get used to compliments, I was just trying to make a good first impression on Margaret, I wouldn’t want to offend her before you two could get to catch up properly.”

“Well you did call me not entirely stupid…” says Margaret.

“Yes? Problem?”

“Not entirely stupid is not what I would call a compliment.”

“Isn’t it? Well, you see that’s why I don’t bother making compliments, you get offended anyway!”

“I’m not offended, I promised I wouldn’t, didn’t I? Now up you go show me this available room you told me about. Martha, should we meet around 6:30 to go for dinner then?”

“Sure just come down knocking when you’re ready.”

Sherlock and Margaret go up the stairs and when they are finally out of earshot Sherlock asks:

“So you’ve got a date already then?”

“It’s not a date, it’s just a dinner between two old friends. What about you then, any news from that Doctor of yours?”

“No, still haven’t heard from him.”

“You should send him another text. What about you invite him to come to dinner with us tonight?”

“I wouldn’t want us to intrude on your “dinner between two old friends”” he says sarcastically “though I may recommend a lovely place which might offer you free dinner if I call in a favour?”

“Well free dinner always sounds interesting especially in London where everything is overpriced but why would you do that?”

“I just thought it’d be nice?”

“What’s this place called then?”

“Angelo’s, you’ll see the food is just lovely.” he says, already getting out his phone to call Angelo’s to reserve a table for two for his “dear friends”.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm [artsherlocked](https://artsherlocked.tumblr.com/) on Tumblr, come and say hi :) 
> 
> Don't hesitate to leave a kudo or a comment if you liked the story :) 
> 
> If you liked this story maybe you'll like these ones [here.](https://archiveofourown.org/users/milexandmore/works)


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